UAV pilots have added bonuses to fly the unmanned drones overseas, much to the dismay of some other military members

The Department of Defense is paying closer attention to the military budget, ending some military programs, though the unmanned drone project continues to prosper.

The benefit of being a UAV pilot, including being able to work stateside while still receiving flight pay, has angered some fighter jet pilots in the military. As the need for skilled UAV pilots continues, however, the small field is expected to successfully recruit skilled pilots operating drones thousands of miles away from the battlefield.

The Air Force Personnel Center said there are fewer than 1,100 UAV pilots and roughly 800 sensor operators responsible for flying missions in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.

In the future, the Air Force is expected to continue to offer flight pay and added incentives to UAV crews, in an effort to ensure personnel levels are met.

"It's really kind of a boring job to be vigilant on the same thing for days and days and days," noted Col. Hernando Orega, Air Force Surgeon General's Office, during a speech in Washington. "It's really boring. It's kind of terrible. And maintaining relationships with their families -- these were the kinds of things that they reported as stressful for them."

UAV pilots can earn up to an $840 bonus per month and sensor operators can net a $400 per month bonus for flying missions, depending on the amount of service. After a UAV or sensor pilot has been in for a four-year stint, they are up for a $50,000 reenlistment bonus -- and that number increases towards $80,000 for the twelfth year reenlistment bonus.

Earlier in the year, a congressional report revealed that one in three warplanes are drones, and that number will likely increase because the military hopes to expand their UAV program more.

Once out of the military, there will be plenty of demand for UAV pilots and sensor operators, with drones now becoming popular on the home front. Drones are used by the Department of Homeland Security, for example, to help pinpoint drug and human smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Nope. The word "bonus" is stated four times....after each amount. You seem to be the only person who missed it. Better stick to what your doing and drop the lame excuses. Hey if you made a mistake and responded before letting things sink in....be a self-responsible adult and just admit ...Hey I made a mistake. Sorry for the oversight"

It's easier to admit a mistake, then to try and convince others the world is still flat.

Regular pay would be whatever an officer makes, likely at the O-1 to O-2 level. Since the Air Force requires all their UAV pilots to be officers who have gone through their flight school, the pay is a little better. Not sure whether they're "recruiting" people who are already licensed fliers yet, but since they're required to be officers (and the Air Force doesn't have warrant officer ranks), you'd also have to have a 4 year degree (to be a commissioned officer).

Sensor operators, from what I understand, can be enlisted....but their pay isn't going to come anywhere near what a flying officer will make.

According to the military pay chart I looked at, on the Defense Finance (DFAS) site, an O-1 or O-2 base pay is just under $3000/month. An enlisted person, E-2 to E-4, will bring in ~$1500 to $1750 a month, base pay. Both are also capable of receiving housing allowance (if base housing isn't available, and they qualify), plus various allowances.

That depends on what service you are in. Last I heard, Army, Navy, and Marines have enlisted UAV pilots, but Air Force requires pilots to be officers. It also depends what UAV platform is being flown. The Predator/Globalhawk type UAVs are flown by officers only, while smaller ones are typically flown by enlisted. Payload operators are generally enlisted though.

What they earn is funded by the taxpayer. That absolutely makes it our business. Would you say the same about GSA employees? Or is the military somehow special in some way that makes immune to excessive government waste?

And don't take me out of context. I wasn't advocating that it'd be right for them to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was commenting on the article saying that UAV operators were making too much but agreeing that they shouldn't make more than pilots who actually put their lives at risk.

Wow! So all those lazy A$$ teens who want to play video games 12 hours straight, just might end up getting a good paying job. To bad they won't pass basic training.

"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken